A SmALL FaMiLy with a BIG ApPeTiTe

2012-01-09T11:50:00.000+08:00

sorry peeps, i have not been updating the blog since God-Knows-When...

but today i want to share something special with all of you...

Malaysia's very own 1st Masterchef is my sister! yeay for her (and for me)...!

you don't believe me..? her full name is Ezani Farhana Md Monoto and mine Ezura Madiana Md Monoto...we stay in the same house and i used to rumble (and still doing it) into her stuffs and belongings and we still fight with each other...

get to know her better

Facebook: Ezani (Masterchef Malaysia)

twitter: @ezanimonoto

website: www.zestbyezani.com

thank you for supporting her!

sister's fight!

Spanish potato salad

2011-03-08T15:05:00.000+08:00

i simply love potato salad...another simple version from sour cream package..easy to make...

1 kg potato
250 ml sour cream
2 tsp paprika
1/2 yellow capsicum, diced
1/2 red capsicum, diced
bacon rashers (i used crab meat slices)
1 tbsp oil
2 celery sticks, sliced

boil potato until just tender, drain and set aside, keeping warm
in a pan, heat oil. add in bacon rashers (or crab meat) and capsicum, cook till soft.
add in paprika
add in the sour cream to the mixture
add the potato and let the creamy mixture coat the potato
remove from heat
finally, stir in the celery
if you prefer cold potato salad, refrigerate before serving

onion soup with cheese croutes

2011-01-31T14:37:00.000+08:00

lovely, aromatic, comforting soup...adapted from Sophie Conran's Soups and Stews and Onions by Brian Glover...

100g butter

6 onions peeled and sliced

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tbsp sugar

1 tsp rosemary and thyme

1.5 litres beef stock

salt and black pepper to taste

1/2 baguette cut into 2 cm slices

2 cloves garlic, peeled

mozarella/parmesan/cheddar cheese

melt butter in a large pan, add the onions and stew for 20 min until soft. turn up the heat and add the garlic, stirring for 2 min
add in the sugar and herbs. reduce the heat and simmer for 45min-1 hour, stirring occasionally until the onions are nice and caramelized.
bring the stock to boil in another pan, gradually pour into the onions. season with salt and pepper. simmer for another 10-20 min
meanwhile preheat the oven to 150 degree celcius. place the slices of bread on a greased baking tray and bake for 15 min. rub the bread with the cut surface of garlic, then sprinkle with cheese over the slices.
float the coutes on the soup the grill until the cheese melts.
serve immediately

fettucine pesto primavera

2011-01-31T14:16:00.000+08:00

this recipe was taken from Chef Wan's Simply Sedap 2....it is amazingly delicious..astray from the regular tomato or cheesy creamy pasta...

4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, sliced

1/2 red capsicum, seeded and sliced

2 celery sticks, chopped

2 tbsp ready-made pesto sauce

400g fettucine, cooked until al dente

4 tbsp chicken stock

salt and blackpepper to taste

grated parmesan cheese to taste

heat olive oil in pan. add garlic, capsicum, celery and fry for 1 min
mix in the pesto sauce
add cooked fettucine and toss until well-mixed. add the stock. toss a few more times and season to taste
dish out and sprinkle parmesan cheese on top and serve

fried spaghetti a la Ez

2011-01-10T16:34:00.000+08:00

my version of fried spaghetti...making use of whatever available ingredients at home...

spaghetti, boiled till al dante and drained

onion and garlic, chopped

fresh mushroom. sliced

celery stick, sliced

fresh parsley, chopped

sun-dried tomato, sliced
green bellpepper, diced

crabmeat sticks, sliced

chicken sausage, sliced

oil

tomato puree

lemon peel, finely chopped

sesame oil

heat oil in pan, saute the onion and garlic till translucent. add in the mushroom, celery, bellpepper and cook till soft.
add in the crabmeat and sausage.
add in the tomato puree, mix well.
put in the lemon peel, parsley, sun-dried tomato and cooked spaghetti and mix well until the spaghetti is well coated.
season with salt and pepper
add a dash of sesame oil
remove from heat and serve

mushroom and tomato soup

2011-01-10T15:56:00.000+08:00

chinese style dish, learnt from my dear friend, Kak Jasmeen..

onion, sliced
garlic, sliced
asam boi
dried mushroom, soaked
canned mushroom
tomato, wedged
water
oil
dash of sesame oil

heat oil in pan. saute the onion and garlic. add a dash of sesame oil to it.
add in mushrooms, saute till soft
add in tomato.
add in water and asam boi, bring to boil
season with salt and pepper

crabmeat, tomato and mushroom open sandwich

2011-01-10T15:36:00.000+08:00

a twist to a normal, typical sandwich...

2 slices bread (i used wholemeal bread)

dash of extra virgin olive oil

2 sticks of crabmeat

1 tomato, diced

button mushrooms, sliced

green bellpepper

salad leaves/lettuce

gherkins, sliced

onion, chopped

fresh yogurt

heat oil in pan, saute the onion till translucent. add in crabmeat, mushroom, tomato and green bellpepper. cook till soft. remove from heat.
to prepare the bread, splash some extra virgin on the bread and toast on pan till crusty.
to assemble, spread some fresh yogurt on the bread. put the lettuce/salad leaves and gherkins on top of that and spread the crabmeat mixture on top.
serve immediately.

potato salad

2011-01-10T11:25:00.000+08:00

i like potato salad so much... this is adapted from the Midweek Meals Made Easy..

5 potatoes, boiled and cubed

2 tbsp dijon mustard

4 tbsp mayonnaise

1 tbsp plain yogurt

chopped parsley

2 boiled eggs, quartered

1/2 can tuna in water, drained

blackpepper

prepare the dressing while the potato is warm
add mustard, mayonnaise, yogurt and parlsey and mix well
add in parsley and dash of blackpepper
in a bowl put in the potato, tuna and eggs
mix in the dressing
put in the fridge before serving

tommy crabbie bruschetta

2010-12-19T12:13:00.001+08:00

this is another version of mine - tomato crabmeat bruschetta...this time using french baguette

6 slices of french baguette

extra virgin olive oil

1 garlic (for rubbing)

2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped

a bunch of fresh coriander leaves, chopped

5 sticks crabmeat, sliced thinly

1 large onion, chopped

2 garlics, chopped

lime/lemon juice

salt and pepper

parmesan cheese

preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius
cut/slice the bread and arrange in an ovenproof pan
rub the garlic on top of each slice of bread, then dash some olive oil on top
toast the bread in the preheated oven for about 5 min
meanwhile, heat some oil in a pan, saute half of the onion, garlic and crabmeat.
remove from heat
mix the tomatoes, the remaining chopped onion, coriander leaves in a bowl. add in the crabmeat mixture
add the lime/lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste
remove the toasted bread from the oven. top the bread slices with the crabmeat mixture.
sprinkle some parmesan cheese
return back to the oven for another 5 min or until the cheese melted
serve warm

creamy mushroom bruschetta

2010-12-19T11:57:00.001+08:00

this is my very own version of bruschetta...i didn't have baguette at home so i ended up using the normal wholemeal bread cut into triangles...

4 slices of bread (or baguette)
1 garlic, peeled
olive oil
salt and pepper
1 onion, chopped
button mushroom, sliced
cooking cream
chopped parsley
parmesan cheese

preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius
cut/slice the bread and arrange in an ovenproof pan
rub the garlic on top of each slice of bread, then dash some olive oil on top
toast the bread in the preheated oven for about 5 min
meanwhile, heat some olive oil in a frying pan. saute the onion and mushroom till soft. season with salt and pepper
add 1-2 tbsp of cooking cream until all the ingredients are well coated
add some chopped parsley
remove the toasted bread from the oven. top the bread slices with the mushroom mixture.
sprinkle some parmesan cheese
return back to the oven for another 5 min or until the cheese melted
serve warm

spaghetti carbonara

2010-12-19T10:48:00.001+08:00

tried out spaghetti carbonara from Donna Hay's book...tip for this recipe, it needs to be served warm immediately...i added some mushroom to add some kick to it..

500g spaghetti
300g beef/chicken bacon strips
5 fresh button msuhroom, sliced
3 small onions, sliced
4 egg yolk
1/2 cup cream
1/2 cup grated parmesan
2 tbsp chopped parsley
extra grated parmesan cheese to serve

cook the pasta in a large saucepan of salted boiling water for 10 min or until al dante. drain and keep hot
while the pasta is cooking, heat a non stick frying pan over medium heat. cook the bacon, mushroom and onions for 3-4 min.
whisk the egg yolk with cream and parmesan in a bowl and toss through the hot pasta, coating well.
stir in the bacon and parsley and top with extra parmesan

fragrant chicken stew

2010-12-19T10:32:00.000+08:00

my kids simple love chicken so much..thus, any chicken dish will satisfy their tastebuds...this is such a wonderful, aromatic, lip-smacking dinner...adapted from Sophie Conran's Soup and Stew book

1 tbsp olive oil
1 chicken cut into 8 pieces
1 knob of butter
3 small red onions, peeled and chooped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 inch fresh root ginger, peeled and chopped
1 tsp cumin
2 potatoes, peeled and cubed
few sticks of baby carrots
4 large tomatoes, cut into wedges
500ml chicken stock
2 strips of lemon zest
1 handful chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper
1 pinch of saffron threads

preheat oven to 220 degrees. heat oil in an ovenproof pot with a lid, on a medium to high heat, brown the chicken pieces on both sides. remove the chicken from the pot and put them aside on a plate until needed
reduce the heat, add the butter to the pot and getly fry the onions until soft
stir in the garlic, ginger, cumin and cook for 2 min.
add the potato and carrots and gently fry for 5 min. stir in the tomatoes, saffron and stock and gently bring to simmer, then remove the pot from the heat
submerge the chicken pieces and lemon zest in the vegetables, then season well with salt and pepper. give a final stir through, put the lid and pop it in the oven for 1 hour
take out of the oven, season to taste and stir in the chopped parsley

totally terrific tiramisu

2010-12-19T10:19:00.000+08:00

another version of tiramisu...i love both of the version..this one taken from At Home Cafe book...

2 oz dark chocolate, grated
1 cup mascarpone
8 oz cream cheese, softened
2 cups sour cream
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup brewed coffee
20 sponge fingers

combine mascarpone, cream cheese, sour cream and sugar in a large bowl and whisk until smooth and thoroughly combined
pour coffee into a shallow dish. dip each sponge fingers lightly into coffee
place sponge fingers at the bottom of a 20quart glass dish
cover them with a layer of cheese mixture and sprinkle with little grated chocolate
repeat layers, finishing with cheese mixture. sprinkle the remaining chocolate and chill in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours before serving

Magic tiramisu

2010-11-18T16:22:00.001+08:00

a total hit during Aidiladha...yes, it's magic...because it is sooo speedy, easy to make, yet tastes luxuriously, superbly elegant and yummilicious! adapted from the Midweek Meals Made Easy...

4 tsp instant coffee granules

100ml boiling water

200g sponge fingers biscuits (saviordi)

2 tbsp caster sugar

160g natural yogurt

500g mascarpone cheese

60-70g plain chocolate, grated or crumbled flake chocolate bars

dissolve coffee in boiling water
arrange half the sponge fingers in a 20cm square shallow dish.
spoon half of the coffee mixture evenly over biscuits
beat sugar and yogurt into mascarpone, then spread half this mixture over biscuits
cover mascarpone with remaining biscuits over the second layer of biscuits
spoon grated chocolate evenly over the top
chill for 10 min before serving

mushroom, chicken and thyme fettuccine

2010-11-18T15:49:00.000+08:00

a yummy, creamy fettuccine...adapted from Donna Hay's pasta, rice+noodles, which i bought at the Big Bad Wolf Books Sale for only RM12...such a good bargain!

500g fettucinne

1 tbsp olive oil

1tbsp butter

3shallots, chopped

2 garlic, chopped

400g mixture of swiss brown mushroom and white button mushroom, sliced

1 tbsp dried thyme

1 cup cream

1/2 cup chicken stock

finely grated parmesan cheese, to serve

cook the pasta in a large saucepan of salted boiling water for 10-12 min or until aldente
drain and keep warm
heat a large frying pan over medium heat
add oil, butter, shallots and garlic and cook for 2-3 min or until soft
add the chicken, mushrooms and thyme and cook for 5-6 min
stir in the cream and chicken stock and simmer for further 5 min or until the mushrooms are tender
add the pasta and toss to combine. top with parmesan and serve warm

fresh mushroom soup

2010-11-08T15:26:00.000+08:00

from the Mind and Mood Foods book...

1 tbsp butter
1 onion, chopped
350g fresh mushroom, sliced
300ml vegetable/chicken stock
300 ml milk
salt and pepper
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

melt butter in a large saucepan, add the onion and cook gently for 3 min
add the mushroom and cook for 5 min
stir in stock, milk and seasoning, then cover and bring to boil.
reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 min until the mushrooms are cooked and tender, stirring occasionally
remove the pan from heat and allow to cool slightly, then puree in food procesor
return the soup to the saucepan, stir in the chopped parsley, then reheat gently until piping hot, stirring occasionally
serve with bread or pasta (which my kids love very much)

cream of pumpkin soup

2010-10-31T19:34:00.000+08:00

fantastic, lovely soup...kids love it with pasta...i personally like it with toasted bread...

1.3kg pumpkin, peeled, sliced and seeded
3 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, shopped
2 garlic, chopped
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 potato, peeled and chopped
1 tsp dried thyme
700ml chicken stock
creme fraiche (optional)

cut the pumpkin into chunks. heat the oil in a large pan, fry the onion, garlic and cumin for 2-3 min. add the pumpkin and potato and fry, stirring for 5-6 min. add the dried thyme to the pan
pour in the stock and simmer for 15 min until the pumpkin and potato are soft. whizz in a blender until smooth, then pour into a pan, heat through and season.

serve each portion woth creme fraiche, lightly stirred in.

tuna and spinach lasagne

2010-10-31T19:24:00.000+08:00

quick and easy...

250g lasagne sheets
2 x 200g cans tuna, drained
450g tomato passata
9 pitted black olives, roughly chopped
225g baby spinach
salt and pepper
250g ricotta cheese
4tbsp low fat milk
2 tbsp grated parmesan

preheat oven to 200 degree celcius and grease shallow ovenproof dish.
flake tuna, put into frying pan and add the passata. heat gently. stir in olive and spinach, then add black pepper to taste. cover and simmer gently 5 min to wilt the spinach
spoon a third of tuna sauce into the dish. cover with a layer of lasagne sheets. spreadh half remaining tuna mixture on top and cover with lasagne sheets, then repeat.
mix ricotta with milk and season to taste. spoon over top of lasagne, then sprinkle with parmesan. bake for 30 min or until very hot. serve immediately.

Harira Soup

2010-10-31T17:44:00.000+08:00

i made this for Hari Raya and served it with crusty bread..it was a hit...! improvised the recipe form The Star..

2 litres water
500g beef, cut into small chunks
2 onions, diced
1 tsp pounded ginger
1 250g can chickpeas
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stick, chopped
6 tomatoes
1/2 tsp tumeric
juice from1 lemon
100g coriander, chopped finely
salt and pepper to taste

in a big pot, bring to boil 2 litres of water. add the beef, onions and ginger. let the mixture simmer for an hour
then add the chickpeas, tomatoes, carrots, celery, tumeric and lemon juice. simmer for another half an hour.
season with salt and pepper.
let cool. puree half of the mixture and return back to the pot.
add the coriander
serve hot with crusty bread

colourful crab and sweetcorn chowder

2010-10-31T17:22:00.000+08:00

the kids simply love this colourful, creamy chowder...serve with crusty bread or pasta...from the mind mood foods book...

1tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic, crushed
4 sticks celery, chopped
1 green capsicum, seeded and diced
350g potatoes, diced
175g button mushroom, sliced
300ml milk
450ml chicken/vegetable stock
225g canned sweetcorn, drained
225g white crabmeat, flaked
salt and pepper
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

heat oil in a large saucepan. add the onion, garlic, celery and green capsicum and cook for 5 min, stirring occasionally
stir in the potatoes, mushrooms and stock. cover, bring to boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 min, until the vegetables are just cooked
add the milk, sweetcorn, crabmeat and seasoning. bring back to boil then simmer for 5 min, stirring
add the chopped parsley, then ladle into soup bowls
garnish with parsley sprigs and serve with bread (i served with pasta for the kids)

honey and mustard chicken

2010-10-17T17:39:00.004+08:00

also from the Mind and Mood Foods Book...sweet and tangy chicken...a lovely dish! it is so finger licking good..!

3 tbsp honey
2 tbsp wholegrain mustard
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 clove garlic
salt and pepper
1/2 chicken, cut into pieces
fresh herb sprigs (i used rosemary and thyme)

preheat grill to high
put honey, mustard, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, herbs and seasoning in a small bowl and whisk thoroughly
cut 3 slashes in each chicken pieces and place them in a pan
pour in the honey mixture and mix well
grill for 20-30 min until the chicken is cooked through

potato, onion and herb bake

2010-10-17T17:28:00.003+08:00

adapted from the Mind and Mood Foods Book...

a mouthwatering potato bake...a lovely combination of onion and herbs makes it too hard to resist...yummy!

6 potatoes, scrubbed and thinly sliced
2 onions, thinly sliced
2 tbsp fresh/dried parsley
salt and pepper
6 tbps (or more) milk
2 tbsp butter
fresh parsley, to garnish
sliced fresh mushroom (optional)

preheat oven to 180 degree celcius
grease an ovenproof dish. add a thin layer of potatoes over the base, top with a layer of onions and mushroom, sprinkle some parsley, then season with salt and pepper
continue these layer until all ingredients are used up, finishing with a layer of potato
pour the milk over the potatoes and dot the top with butter
cover with foil and bake for 1 hour
then remove the foil and bake uncovered for further 30-45 min, until top is slightly browned
garnish with chopped parsley

paprika chicken stew

2010-09-14T17:28:00.003+08:00

this recipe was modified from chef norzailina...it was so delicious!

2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

3 garlics, chopped

1 tsp chilli powder

3 tbsp paprika

1 chicken, cut into pieces

400ml water

1 can chopped tomatoes

2 sticks celery, sliced

2 tbsp flour

1 small tub sour cream

salt, sugar to taste

heat the oil in a large saucepan. fry the onion, garlic, chilli powder, paprika till fragrant and translucent
add in water, then chicken. cook for about 30 min.
add in tomatoes and celery.
mix well a little bit of the gravy with flour, then transfer back to the pan. add in the cream.
simmer till a bit thicken
serve with rice, bread or pasta.

mee rebus chef wan

2010-09-14T17:06:00.002+08:00

i tried the recipe from asian food channel..this recipe was featured in Best Wan!....a real mouth-watering, lip-smacking dish!...

recipe is available here:

http://www.asianfoodchannel.com/bestwan/viewrecipe.php?id=8

try it!

dates and lemon cookies

2010-09-07T16:21:00.003+08:00

Jihan helped me to bake this cookies

120g butter

30g castor sugar

1 tsp vanilla essence

1 egg yolk

1 tsp lemon zest

100g dates, seeded and cut into small pieces

30g coconut flakes

50g ground almond

150g flour

egg yolk for brushing the top

mix well A
add in B and C and mix well until becomes a dough
roll flat and cut into desired shape
brush some egg yolk on top
bake in preheated oven 160 degrees for 10-15 min

butter prawn

2010-09-07T16:09:00.003+08:00

i tried out this recipe from kak jun's blog...absolutely lip-smacking..!

600g prawn

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp sesame oil

3 tbsp corn flour

1 tbsp fish curry powder

3 egg yolk

1 tbsp evaporated milk

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

2 tbsp butter

1 garlic, chopped

cili padi, sliced

curry leaves

2 tbsp butter

seasoning:

1 tbsp oyster suace

1/2 tbsp sugar

1/4 tsp black pepper

clean the prawn, drain and wipe with kitchen towel
marinate prawn with A for 10 min
mix well B and add in the prawn, coat the prawn well with flour. deep fry the prawn till golden. set aside
heat butter in pan. whisk well C. add in C to the heated pan and keep on whisking inside the pan to get a crispy fried egg crumbs. remove
heat the remaining butter. add in D. add in prawn and seasoning. mix well. lastly add in the fried egg crumbs. mix well

almond coffee cookies

2010-09-07T16:04:00.003+08:00

nestum-based cookies...the tinge of coffee makes it so addicted...!

1 cup sifted self-raising flour

1 1/2 cup nestum

1 1/2 cup ground almond

200g butter

150g caster sugar

1 egg

2 tbsp nescafe mixed with 2 tbsp hot water

100 1000's for decoration

sift flour, stir in nestum and almond. set aside
cream butter and sugar. add egg and nescafe mixture
fold in flour
shape into small ball and place on lightly greased tray. flatten dough decorate
bake in preheated oven 180 degrees celcius for 10-15 min

calamari in soy sauce

2010-08-31T14:17:00.002+08:00

i added some vegetables into this dish as my little imtiaz loves cubed carrots and potatoes...lovely...

600g squid, cut into rings
1 tsp salt
2 onions, cut into rings
3 red chillies, sliced
2 tbsp oil
3 tbsp sweet soy sauce
1 tbsp salty soy sauce
salt and black pepper to taste
carrots and potatoes, cubed

blended ingredients:
6 shallots
4 garlic
2 cm tumeric
3 cm ginger

marinate the squid with salt for 15 min.
heat oil in wok. add in the blended ingredients
add in the vegetables
add in the marinated squid. mix well
add in the onions and chilli
add in the soy sauce
season to taste
serve with hot rice

creamy leek, mushroom and chicken pie

2010-08-30T10:21:00.003+08:00

a one dish meal that can satisfy your hungry stomach...

Filling:
2 tbsp olive oil
300g minced chicken
250g button mushroom, roughly chopped
2 leeks, sliced
3 tbsp flour
200ml chicken stock
200ml milk
salt and pepper
2 tbsp chopped parsley
grated zest of 1 lemon

Top:
5 medium-sized potatoes,peeled and cut into small chunks
100ml milk, warmed
1 tbsp butter

heat the oil in a large saucepan. add in minced chicken and mushrooms. cook over medium heat, stirring 3-5 min until lightly cooked and browned.
add in leeks and cooked until softened
stir in the flour until mix well, then stir in the stock, milk and season with salt and pepper
bring to boil and simmer gently for 5 min.
stir in the parsley and lemon zest, remove from heat and set aside
boil the potatoes for 10 min until tender
drain potatoes and mash with warmed milk and butter. season with salt and pepper
preheat oven to 200 degrees celcius
spoon the filling into an ovenproof dish. spread the mashed potatoes over the top
sprinkle some grated cheddar cheese on top
bake the pie for 20-30 min until the top is golden

carrot and lemon soup

2010-08-30T10:09:00.003+08:00

improvised from a recipe in Midweek Meals Made Easy..

1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
3 carrots, finely chopped
1 garlic, crushed
600ml chicken stock
juice from a lemon
chopped parsley
salt and pepper

heat oil in a large saucepan and fry the onion, carrots and garlic until softened
add stock, juice and half of the parsley. bring to boil. reduce heat, cover and let simmer gently 6-8 min or until tender.
season with salt and pepper
allow to cool before pureeing
puree about 3/4 of the soup until smooth
return puree to pan and heat until boiling
sprinkle the remaining parsley

crispy chocolate chip cookies

2010-08-30T09:56:00.004+08:00

my first kuih raya this year...simple, yet crispy and absolutely mouthwatering..

1 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1 cup oatmeal, blended
1 tsp bicarbonate soda
2 tsp hot water
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups chocolate chips
1 cup chopped almond

preheat oven to 175 degrees celcius
cream butter, white sugar and brown sugar until smooth
beat in eggs, one at a time
stir in vanilla
dissolve bicarbonate soda in hot water
add to batter along with salt
stir in flour, oatmeal, choc chips and almonds
drop a spoonful batter onto ungreased pan
bake for 10 min

crispy calamari rings

2010-08-30T09:46:00.003+08:00

absolutely crispylicious!

300g squid
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 egg
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp paprika or more
oil for frying

cut the squid into rings, wash and drain
season the squid with salt and pepper
beat the eggs
transfer the squid into the egg
mix the flour, paprika and baking powder
pour in the squid mixture into the flour mixture
deep fry for 5 min until golden

beef stroganoff

2010-08-26T15:38:00.003+08:00

simply delicious!

1 kg top sirloin beef - trimmed and cut into thin strips
salt and ground blackpepper to taste
3 tbsp olivw oil
2 tbsp butter
1 onion, chopped
5 fresh button mushroom, quartered/sliced
1/2 green capsicum, sliced
1/2 red capsicum, sliced
2 tbsp brown sauce powder mix with a cup of water
3 tbsp sour cream/yogurt

sprinkle meat with salt and pepper and stir fry in a very hot pan with some olive oil until brown. remove and set aside
melt butter in the same pan, saute the onion until translucent. add in mushroom, capsicum and continued continue sauteeing until slightly soft
add in the diluted brown sauce and let simmer for 5 min. return the sauteed beef to the pan and simmer until heated through
stir in sour cream and mix well.
serve with pilaf rice

vegetable rice pilaf

2010-08-26T15:23:00.005+08:00

our family favourite's (especially the kids)!....can be eaten on its own! or pair it with the delicious beef stroganoff.. recipe from chef zam..

2 onions, chopped
250g butter
1kg long grain rice/basmathi (washed and drained)
salt & pepper to taste
2 litres chicken stock
2 bay leaf
1/2 green capsicum, chopped }
1/2 red capsicum, chopped }
1/2 yellow capsicum, chopped } saute in some butter and set aside
1/2 cup green peas }
1/2 cup fresh mushroom, chopped }
chopped coriander leaves for garnishing

melt butter in a heated rice cooker and saute the onions until translucent
stir in the the washed rice, salt, bay leaves and pepper
add in chicken stock to the rice
once the liquid is absorbed, stir in the sauteed vegetables
sprinkle some coriander leaves
serve with beef stroganoff

chocolate bread and butter pudding

2010-08-26T12:11:00.003+08:00

we love bread and butter pudding..this time round, i improvised the recipe and turned it into a yummy chocolate version....Jihan loves picking the chocolate chips, that's why i generously put lots and lots of chocolate chips in it...

1 loaf of bread
300ml chocholate milk
2 eggs
50g castor sugar
3 tbsp cocoa powder
butter for spreading
generous amount of chocolate chips

preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius
spread the butter on both sides of the bread slices. arrange the bread slices in a baking dish. you can sprinkle the chochlate chips in between the layers
whisk the milk, eggs, sugar and cocoa powder
pour the milk mixture to the bread. sprinkle more chocolate chips on top.
leave to soak for about 30 min.
bake in the preheated oven for 20-30 min

roasted pepper and potato soup

2010-08-22T09:55:00.004+08:00

having hot soup for iftar is really satisfying!...it keeps your body warm and it makes you feel good too..yesterday, i tried this out and it turned out marvellous...i got this recipe from chef zam while attending an event last year...so i modified a bit to suit my taste...

2 potatoes, diced and boiled till tender

1 onion, diced

2 red pepper

500ml chicken stock

60 ml fresh milk ( i used low fat milk)

salt and pepper to taste

2 bay leaves

1 tbsp butter + some olive oil

some fresh parsley, chopped

preheat the oven to 200 degrees celcius, roast the pepper for about 10-15 min with a little bit of olive oil, salt and pepper
cool the pepper in a zipper lock bag. once cooled, puree the pepper and set aside
heat butter and olive oil in a pot. add in the potato and onion, fry till fragrant and the ingredients are coated with butter for about 5 min. add a dash of ground blackpepper and salt to it
in another pot bring the chicken stock to boil, add the stock to the potato. add in bay leaves and let simmer for 15 min
add in milk, season with salt and pepper
remove the bay leaf. puree half of the soup and return the pureed soup to the pot
add in the pureed roasted pepper to the pot and mix well
garnish with the chopped parsley

Quick and easy spaghetti bolognese

2010-08-17T16:04:00.006+08:00

i've tried many version of spaghetti bolognese and i love them all...this is another version of it...it is always the kids' favourites!

1 packet spaghetti, prepared according to the package
400g minced meat/chicken
2 tbsp olive oil
4 garlic , crushed
1 onion, chopped
a handful of fresh mushroom, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
2 celery sticks, chopped
400ml beef stock
400 ml passata (Italian tomato puree)

440g can of chopped tomato (i used whole tomato)
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp dried oregano or a handful of fresh oregano, chopped
grated parmesan cheese to serve with (optional)

heat oil in a pan. add in the mince meat and fry till brown
add in the vegetables - onion, garlic, mushroom, celery and carrot.
add in the passata and beef stock.
season to taste. add in the oregano
let simmer till the sauce is a bit thicken
serve with the spaghetti and sprinkle some parmesan cheese on top

creamy potato and leek soup

2010-08-17T09:44:00.003+08:00

this is a simple dish that my kids love very much...if you don't have leek in stock, you can substitute with onion...

4 potatoes, cubed
2 leeks, sliced
1 onion, sliced
600 ml chicken stock
2 1/2 tbsp butter
2 celery sticks, sliced
200ml cream (i used low fat cream)

boil the potato together with the chicken stock until tender
in another skillet, heat the butter on medium heat and add in leek, onion and celery and cook until soft
once both are done, transfer the leek mixture into the chicken stock and add cream to it...
let simmer for another 10 min
serve warm with toasted crusted bread

* if you don't want to use cream, you can puree some of the ingredients after the soup is done and mix back into the soup...

fried pasta with minced beef sauce

2010-08-09T08:10:00.003+08:00

an eye opener for breakfast, i would say...the combination of western and oriental taste in one lip-smacking dish...! the kids love it so much..and the parents too!

200g pasta, prepare according to the packet, drain and set aside

3 fresh button mushroom, sliced

100g minced beef/chicken

1 tsp chopped garlic

1 tsp chopped shallot

1 tsp chopped ginger

1 tomato, diced

2 tbsp oil

1/2 tsp sesame oil

pepper and salt to taste

4 tbsp tomato sauce

1 tbsp fresh coriander leaves, chopped

heat oil in wok and fry garlic, shallot and ginger till fragrant
add minced beef and stir fry until fragrant
add the mushroom, sesame oil, tomato sauce and season with salt and pepper
add in the pasta and tomato
lastly, add in the coriander leaves
fry until all well combined

easy peasy onion soup

2010-08-09T07:59:00.003+08:00

when i cooked this soup 2 days ago, the aroma of the caramelized onion filled the entire house...it made everybody felt hungry and their stomachs started growling...this is such an easy recipe without compromising its superb, delicious taste...serve the hot soup with toasted crusted bread and cheese..walla!

4 onions, thinly sliced

1 litre beef stock

2 bay leaf

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup butter

in a pot, melt the butter
add in the onions and fry till soft and let it caramelized for about 20 min. cover and stir occasionally
add in the beef stock and the bay leaves
let simmer on low fire for about 1/2 hour or more ( the longer you leave it, the greater the taste)
season with salt and pepper
serve hot with toasted crusty bread and cheese

chicken with mushroom

2010-08-05T11:50:00.004+08:00

this is another lip-smacking dish that will keep your saliva drooling for more.....for a more creamy version, scroll down for amendments...

3 cups sliced mushroom (i used fresh white and brown button mushroom)

1/2 chicken, cut into pieces (or you can just use chicken breasts)

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup bread crumbs

2 tbsp + 2 tbsp butter

1 cup mozarella cheese, shredded

3/4 cup chicken stock

1 carrot, diced

1/2 red bell pepper, diced

1/2 yellow bell pepper, diced

preheat oven to 175 degrees celcius
heat 2 butter in pan, sauté the mushrooms, carrots and bell peppers. set aside
dip chicken into beaten eggs, then roll into bread crumbs
in the same pan, over medium heat, brown both sides of chicken (add more butter if needed)
arrange 1/2 of the mushroom at the base of a casserole dish. place the chicken on top of the mushroom. then, arrange the remaining vegetables and mushroom on top of the chicken.
add in the chicken stock to the pan
sprinkle the cheese on top of that
bake in preheated oven for 30-40 min or until the chicken is no longer pink.

for a creamier version, substitute the chicken stock with a can of cream of mushroom - more lip-smacking!

roasted tomato soup

2010-08-04T20:37:00.003+08:00

lovely, lip-smacking soup....a bowl of soup packed with vitamin A and all the goodness of vegetables...yummy!

adapted from 101 low-fat feasts book...

3 ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped

1 onion, roughly chopped

2 garlic, roughly chopped

1 carrot, roughly chopped

1 potato, roughly chopped

600ml chicken stock

salt and pepper to taste

2 tbsp olive oil

preheat oven to 180 degree Celsius
put the chopped vegetables in a pan, sprinkle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. roast the vegetables in the oven for about 40 min.
when ready, pour a little bit of the chicken stock into the pan and scrape the pan and pour the roasted vege into the remaining chicken stock
puree the soup till smooth and creamy
serve with pasta or crusted bread

simple tortilla wrap

2010-07-20T14:46:00.004+08:00

fancy a simple dinner yet nutritious and delicious? try this one...

a tortilla sheet

fresh tomato salsa

plain yogurt

cheddar cheese

some left-over chicken or tuna

olive or baby gherkins or any other pickles

warm the tortilla sheet on grill pan, remove from heat
spread some yogurt
top with salsa, chicken and cheese and other ingredients that you fancy in your tortilla
wrap and roll the tortilla
warm back the tortilla
ready to serve

fresh tomato salsa

2010-07-20T14:40:00.004+08:00

simple, lovely, aromatic and refreshing taste...!

3 tomatoes

1 cup sweet corn from can, drained

a bunch of coriander leaves, chopped

1 onion, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

lemon juice from 1/2 lemon

combine all the ingredients and season with salt and pepper to taste
refrigerate for 1 hour before serving
serve chill with nachos, tortilla or can be eaten on its own...

spaghetti with chicken, sun-dried tomato and feta cheese

2010-07-19T11:34:00.003+08:00

i love the taste of sun-dried tomatoes...this dish can be made with some left-over chicken from the previous night...

1 packet spaghetti (prepared according to the package)

1/4 cup olive oil

4 garlic, crushed

2 tbsp sun-dried tomatoes (or more), chopped

feta cheese, crumbled

cooked chicken, sliced

1 bunch of fresh coriander leaves, chopped

1 cup parmesan cheese, grated

salt and pepper to taste

mix in olive oil, garlic, tomatoes, chicken, feta and parmesan cheese. stir in the coriander and season with salt and pepper
stir into the spaghetti, mix well, serve warm

mushroom and potato soup

2010-07-19T10:09:00.004+08:00

Imtiaz's version - with pasta

making your own mushroom soup..? it is not impossible...very easy and nutritious too... i've browsed through a few recipes and in conclusion i've came up with this simple but marvelously tasted recipe...!

150g fresh button mushroom, chopped (you can use can mushroom as well)

1 litre chicken stock

4 potatoes, diced

2 bay leaf

5 tbsp butter

2 onion, chopped (you can use leeks as well)

ground black pepper

salt

1 cup yogurt/sour cream/cream + 1/4 cup flour(optional)

melt 2 tbsp butter in a saucepan over medium heat. sauté the mushroom until lightly brown. remove from heat and set aside
melt the remaining butter. sauté the onion till fragrant and translucent.
add in the chicken stock and bay leaf. add in the potatoes. cover and let simmer till the potatoes are tender.
season with salt and pepper
once the potatoes are done, remove the bay leaf. add in the mushroom. let simmer for a few minutes
puree half of the mixture and return the pureed soup into the pan.
mix the yogurt and flour till smooth, add into the soup to thicken.

you can also add some carrots to the soup after you sauté the onions.

because it contains potato, once you've pureed the soup it automatically thicken the soup. the optional yogurt mixture is not necessary. but it added extra taste to the soup. (or you can add the yogurt without the flour)

carrot soup

2010-07-17T22:42:00.004+08:00

the kids love the soup so much...they ate them with rice and pasta and even on its own...packed with vitamin A and many more benefits in just 1 bowl!

1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic, minced
1 litre chicken stock
4 cups carrot, coarsely chopped
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp white pepper
1/4 cup plain yogurt

heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat
add in onion and garlic. saute until softened
add in chicken stock, carrots, thyme. simmer, uncovered until vegetables are tender (about 40 min)
in batches, puree soup in blender. add salt and pepper
serve hot and garnish each bowl with yogurt

lovely dish...!

from vegetables for vitality

chicken, peas and capsicums

2010-07-17T22:18:00.004+08:00

this lovely dish can be eaten with crusty bread or crackers and you can simply make it with some left-over chicken or turkey..!

2 tbsp olive oil
1 large sliced onion
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
1 chopped garlic
1 red, 1 yellow and 1 green capsicum, seeds removed and sliced
200g cooked chicken, diced
500g frozen green peas, thawed
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
grated zest of 1 lemon

heat oil in a large frying pan
add the onion, ginger and garlic, cook for 3 min.
add the capsicums and cook for 3 min more
stir in the chicken and green peas
season with salt and black pepper, cook gently 2-3 min or until heated through
add coriander leaves and lemon zest
remove from heat and ready to serve

i ate them with high fibre crackers..i spread some natural yogurt and put this filling on top..yummy!!!

from the midweek meals made easy ...

Strawberry Yogurt Brulee

2010-07-17T22:07:00.003+08:00

i like this dessert...easy to make and lovely taste...the kids love them too...!

500g strawberries
juice of 1 orange
500g natural yogurt
100g castor sugar

slice strawberries and divide between 6 serving glasses
sprinkle over the orange juice, spoon over the yogurt
chill until ready to serve
to make the caramel: tip the sugar into a small pan with 2 tablespoons of water. heat gently, stirring to dissolve the sugar. boil the mixture until it turns light caramel colour.
pour the caramel a little over the dessert
leave for 10 min before serving

took the recipe from 101 low-fat feasts book...

homemade decorated cookies for jihan's birthday

2010-07-03T11:14:00.002+08:00

jihan's birthday cake at school

2010-07-03T11:11:00.002+08:00

jihan's birthday cake - simple butter cake "Snow White in Fantasy Garden"

2010-07-03T11:06:00.001+08:00

Red Velvet Cake - Imtiaz's birthday cake

2010-03-20T11:26:00.003+08:00

Winnie the Pooh version....lovely! with cream cheese frosting...

recipe from JoyofBaking.com

Red Velvet Cake:

2 1/2cups (250 grams) sifted cakeflour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons (15 grams) Dutch-processed cocoa powder

1/2 cup (113 grams) unsaltedbutter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups (300 grams) granulated whitesugar

2largeeggs

1 teaspoon purevanillaextract

1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk

2 tablespoons liquid red food coloring

1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar

1 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Butter two - 9 inch (23 cm) round cake pans and line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a mixing bowlsifttogether the flour, salt, and cocoa powder. Set aside.

In bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until soft (about 1-2 minutes). Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes). Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape downthe sides of the bowl.Add the vanilla extract and beat until combined.

In a measuring cup whisk the buttermilk with the red food coloring. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk to the butter mixture, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour.

In a small cup combine the vinegar and baking soda. Allow the mixture to fizz and then quickly fold into the cake batter.

Working quickly, divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans and smooth the tops with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon.Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 25 - 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean. Cool the cakes in their pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Place a wire rack on top of the cake pan and invert, lifting off the pan. Once the cakes have completely cooled, wrap in plastic and place the cake layers in the freezer for at least an hour. (This is done to make filling and frosting the cakes easier.)

** i used yogurt instead of buttermilk....the cake turned out to be moist and fluffy....!

chocolate mud cake

2010-03-02T18:17:00.003+08:00

my very first attempt in making chocolate mud cake with chocolate ganache for my dad's 59th birthday!

Jihan's 4th birthday cake

2010-02-18T10:08:00.003+08:00

(A VERY MUCH BACKDATED ENTRY)

homemade chocolate moist birthday cake using edible image of Jihan being surrounded by Disney's princesses...!

oreo pudding

2009-08-29T01:53:00.003+08:00

from Malaysian Women's Weekly...the creamy oreo simply soothe your tastebud...really make me feel good when i indulge this...

2tbsp custard powder

500ml water

1 egg yolk

2tbsp jelly powder

90g sugar

200ml fresh milk

90g crushed oreo

dilute the custard powder with 100ml of water. pour into a saucepan

add in remaining water with egg yolk, jelly powder, sugat, fresh milk.

boil on medium heat, until boiled. keep on stirring

remove from heat. add in crushed oreo.

pour into mould or pan. let set for 2 hours. refrigerate until ready to serve

yummy!!

Nasi Goreng Kerabu

2009-08-29T01:38:00.002+08:00

my very own version of nasi goreng kerabu, with fresh bunga kantan, kaffir leaves, bird's eye chillies and lemongrass picked from our own garden....

cooked white rice

1 stalk lemongrass ]

1 stalk bunga kantan ] finely sliced

4-5 kaffir leaves ]

1 handful of dried anchovies }

3 cloves garlic }

1/2 onion } pounded together

3-5 bird's eye chillies }

salt

fish sauce

fishballs

oil

eggs

heat oil in wok. fry the pounded ingredients till fragrant

add in the sliced ingredients

add in eggs and fishballs

add in rice, mix together well

season with salt and fish sauce

remove from heat and serve

really a lip smacking dish!!!

cream puff and savoury puff

2009-06-26T12:53:00.002+08:00

old style banana cake...

2009-06-26T12:47:00.002+08:00

yes i know i owe all of you a lots of recipes...but i'm too lazy to search the papers that i jot the recipes onto it...bear with me, frieds..i'll try my best not to procastinate...

potato seafood pizza

2008-10-29T15:28:00.001+08:00

1 tbsp butter plus extra for greasing
flour for dusting
5 cups of diced potatoes
2 garlic, crushed
2 tbsp chopped mixed herbs
1 egg, beaten
2 tbsp tomato paste
crabmeat fillet
tuna
bell pepper, sliced
mushroom, sliced
mozzarella cheese, grated

Grease and flour a 9 inch pizza pan. Cook the potatoes in a pan of boiling water for 10 min. drain and mash until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the butter, garlic, herbs and egg.
Spread the mixture into the prepared pizza pan. Cook in a preheated oven 220 degrees for 10 min
Spread the tomato paste over the pizza base
Arrange the crabmeat, tuna, bell pepper and mushroom onto the paste
Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese on top of the pizza. Return to the oven for 20 min.

creme caramel

2008-10-26T15:10:00.001+08:00

This is a simple recipe of crème caramel from my dear friend, Dr Ilham (who recently passed her 1st part exam, congratulations!!)….the taste is wonderful…!

1/2 cup sugar
enough water to cover the sugar

1 can evaporated milk
1 can water
1 can eggs, lightly beaten
2 1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp custard powder

To make the caramel, heat the sugar and water in a pan using small fire. Off the fire once it turns brown. Transfer the caramel into a baking pan. Let cool.
Mix all other ingredients in a mixing bowl. Pour the mixture into the baking pan, on top of the cooled caramel.
Bake in a steamer for 40 min. Let cool. Put in the refrigerator until set before you flip the pan over onto a plate

hari raya open house 2008

2008-10-25T15:22:00.001+08:00

i managed to make lovely moist carrot cake and mini fruit tartlets and some baked pasta for the open house....

engagement cake

2008-10-11T20:11:00.001+08:00

i did a small favour for my sister's friend, nurul who got engaged recently...made a "bunga-bunga cinta" cake as the engagement gift to his guy....

tuna lasagne- UPDATED!

2008-09-28T14:54:00.001+08:00

A creamy tuna lasagne…a simple and very satisfying dish…from my Pasta book…

1 tbsp butter
1 onion, finely chopped
1 garlic, finely chopped
115g mushrooms, thinly sliced
2/3 cup whipping cream
3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
350g no pre-cook lasagne sheets
2 cans tuna, drained and flaked
¾ cups peas
115g mozzarella cheese, grated
1/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated
salt and ground blackpepper

white sauce:
¼ cup butter
½ cup plain flour
2 ½ cup milk

Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the onion, cook for 5 min. then stir in the garlic and mushrooms, cook until soft, stirring occasionally.

Make the white sauce. Melt the butter in a saucepan, stir in the flour and cook for 1 min, stirring. Gradually add the milk, whisking until the sauce boils and thickens. Stir in the mushroom mixture, cream and parsley. Season to taste.

Spoon a thin layer of sauce over the base of a 9x12 inch ovenproof dish. Cover with a layer of lasagne sheets. Strew half of the tuna, peas and mozzarella cheese over the lasagne. Spoon 1/3 of the remaining sauce evenly over the top and cover with another layer of lasagne.

Repeat the layers, ending with lasagne and sauce. Sprinkle with parmesan. Bake for 30-40 min.

macaroni with ribs soup

2008-09-27T14:48:00.001+08:00

homemade curry puff - UPDATED!

2008-09-27T14:33:00.001+08:00

60g margarine
120g flour
chilled water

enough curry puff filling

Mix the flour and margarine until it resembles crumbs. Slowly add enough chilled water, mix well until it becomes dough.

Roll the dough flat. Cut into round shape. Put some filling onto the dough. Fold into 2 and fold the edge to seal the puff.

Deep fry the curry puff until golden brown.

salam Aidilfitri

2008-09-27T12:30:00.001+08:00

P/S: stay tuned for more recipes...have a safe journey...

laksa utara

2008-09-22T16:56:00.000+08:00

stay tuned for the recipe...

spaghetti with coney sauce

2008-09-22T16:47:00.003+08:00

the sauce

jihan's portion with sausage

the bread roll

i tried out this lovely coney sauce with my spaghetti....(adapted from allrecipes.com)

300g ground beef

3 tbsp chopped onion

1/2 cup tomato ketchup

1 tbsp white sugar

1 tbsp white vinegar

1 tbsp yellow mustard

1/8 tsp celery seed (i omit this)

1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1/8 tsp ground blackpepper

1/4 tsp salt

place beef and onion in a large skillet over medium heat

cook, stirring to crumble until beef is browned.

stir in ketcup, sugar, vinegar and mustard.

season with celery seed, Worcestershire sauce, pepper and salt

cover and simmer over low heat for a few minutes.

serve over cooked spaghetti

* the leftover sauce, i rolled them with bread and sausage....

kuih cara berlauk

2008-09-02T18:19:00.000+08:00

my favourite!..i like all types of savoury kuih...

my mum made this, but we used serunding as the filling...you can also use any other filling of your choice (i.e: curry puff filling, tuna)

my mum used the roti jala batter to make the batter for this kuih....

2 cup flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp tumeric powder

2 1/2 cup coconut milk

2 eggs

enough filling

fried shallot and daun sup

blend everything until it becomes the "right" consistency (not too thick and not too thin)

heat the mould on the stove, rub some oil onto the mould tho prevent the kuih becomes sticky to the mould

3/4 fill the mould with the batter. add in the filling and sprinkle some fired shallots and daun sup

let cook and remove from mould using a fork or toothpick

spicy baked pasta-updated!

2008-09-01T13:35:00.004+08:00

My mum got this recipe from her friend....

300g macaroni (or other type of pasta), prepared according to the package

15 eggs

2 onions, chopped

200g chicken fillet/mince meat

1 small packet kurma powder/soup pwder

fried shallot

spring onion and daun sup, chopped

salt and pepper according to taste

lightly beat the eggs
add in onion, chicken, kurma or soup powder, fried shallot, spring onion and daun soup. mix well.
add in the boiled macaroni/pasta
put the mixture into a baking dish
bake in a preheated oven 175 degrees for 40-50 min or until cooked
serve with chilli suace or tomato ketchup

award from kak Jun

2008-08-12T17:12:00.002+08:00

tq kak Jun for the award....i felt so tiny to receive this award..heheheh....

i'm sharing this award with mamafami, kak rinn, kak ummi, mat gebu

italiannies

2008-07-31T16:29:00.002+08:00

had lovely dinner with 2 of our good friends, Dilla and Dahlia at the Italiannies The Gardens recently...they had this promotion of RM 89++ for 1 appetizer, 3 main dishes and 1 dessert.....

the servings are big and it really stuffs up our hungry stomachs!!!

we had bruschetta for the appetizer, chicken salad, pizza and pasta for the main dishes and bread butter pudding for the dessert....

ideal for sharings!

p/s: we saw Fahrin Ahmad eating with his guy friend at Chinoz....

putrajaya seafood restaurant (a BAD remark)

2008-07-26T16:38:00.005+08:00

this was our first time here and i want to voice out our dissatisfaction about this restaurant....

we were greeted by an overfriendly waiter who talked like as if he had already know us for ages and by means of that i found it was a bit harsh for him to talk that way to my little Jihan....

they served us with chinese/jasmine tea and some steamed groundnuts as titbits which other saefood restaurants serve as well as COMPLIMENTARY (like Kelana Seafood) and by the end of the day, we realized that those things were charged to our bill, and they didn't even asked us or mentioned to us wheter we would like to have those or not!... (RM 2 each for the tea and RM 3 for the nuts- if i were to know this, i would have packed the leftover nuts!!!)

i ordered carrot juice with milk and it turned out to be a REAL carrot juice that only rabbits are able to tolerate with no tinge of sugar at all...and when we asked the waiter back, this one has no sugar..he answered back, that is pure carrot juice!!! i felt like throwing the juice into his throat and see whether he thinks the taste is edible or not!

the food were just so-so...

if the big boss of Putrajaya Seafood restaurant or their acquaintances or relatives happened to read this, let me tell you this...DO NOT CHEAT YOUR CUSTOMERS!!! high class restaurant like Al-Diafah, serves kurma, arabic coffee and fruits cocktail dessert as COMPLIMENTARY to their customers, meaning that AT NO CHARGE AT ALL!

i've been to many restaurants which serve complimentary titbits but they don't mention it in the bills...well, it's a different thing if they incorporate the price as their service charges or what...but i am certainly not paying for the thing which i don't order!

and i think it was a bit overpriced compared to other seafood restaurants..

probably you have good experience with this restaurant but not for us and certainly we are not coming here again...!

Bubba Gump Shrimp Co

2008-07-13T16:17:00.000+08:00

we celebrated my 28th birthday at Bubba Gump The Curve....wide food selections (until we couldn't make up our mind what to order...!), reasonable price for this type of restaurant....

i chose cajun shrimp and hubby chose western fried chicken (dunno why he chose chicken while we were in a seafood restaurant!) and Jihan had fish and chips in boat (kids meal)....we had thirst quenching smoothies.....

some of the food portions that i observed from other tables are quite big...good for sharing!

p/s: i don't cook much (not at all!!!) nowadays...we are food hunting hahahah!!!

JM Bariani House

2008-07-12T18:37:00.000+08:00

had lunch at this outlet....this was previously The Rain at Bandar Baru Bangi Seksyen 9...

the bariani here was quite good...the service was fast...the menu was a combination of many types of bariani and some western food from The Rain previously....

he sirap bandung was a hit!!!

San Francisco Pizza

2008-07-11T18:26:00.000+08:00

one of our favourite dining spot! at bandar baru bangi...

wide selection of foods and attractive offers and good prices with good portions...!

this was when me and hubby had dinner just the two of us....had salmon steak, beef steak and seafood soup with garlic bread...yummy!!!

Jihan's birthday cake - ELMO

2008-07-04T17:05:00.003+08:00

we celebrated Jihan's brithday last weekend...this was my 1st attempt making my very own birthdya cake...i made it using the moist chocolate cake and decorated it using whipped cream and buttercream and the outcome was so good!!! i was really impressed with myself!!!

moist chocolate cupcakes -little monsters

2008-07-04T16:56:00.003+08:00

i made this last week and Jihan brought them to her playgroup to give to her friends...she's celebrating her birthday with her friends...the kids really love it!!!

tomato, chilli and anchovy spaghetti

2008-06-13T20:55:00.003+08:00

adapted from my favourite pasta book...!

spaghetti (or any other pasta), prepared according to the package

2 tbps sundried tomato paste

anchovy fillet

2 garlic, chopped

1 onion, chopped

2 red chillies, seeded and chopped

2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped

basil leaves, chopped

olive oil

heat olive oil in pan. add in garlic and onion, fry till fragrant

add in the tomato paste and chillies. mix well

put in the anchovy fillet and basil leaves

season with blackpepper and salt

toss in the prepared spaghetti and mix well

serve with green salad leaves

La Vida Cafe & Restaurant Cyberjaya

2008-06-03T20:35:00.003+08:00

we had an Iranian dinner at La Vida Cafe & Restaurant Cyberjaya to celebrate mother's and father's day when we stayed at Cyberview Lodge resort & Spa recently....

it is situated at the Cyber Heights Clubhouse...the ambience was superb and we chose to sit in a private dining room, sitting on the floor with lots of cushions....the foods were superb and they are priced less than RM 20 (majority of them)...the services were fast and friendly....take away and delivery services also available for nearby area...

overall, it was a superb night, and we were all very full...we only ordered 3 main dishes and 1 platter of starter with a drink for each one of us (there were 6 of us including Jihan) and it costed RM 80++ only....

to get there - With Cyberview Lodge on your left drive straight pass the houses, on your left will be Cyber Heights Villa. Turn in and at the roundabout go to the right and then turn right up the small lane. Inside there is a swimming pool and right in front is La Vida

freshcream sponge cake with piping jelly

2008-06-02T19:35:00.002+08:00

made this for my cousin's housewarming party....Jihan called it a spiderweb cake..!

happy 1st birthday "A SmALL FaMiLy with a BIG ApPeTiTe"

2008-05-31T00:01:00.000+08:00

yeah, happy 1st birthday, my blog...i love you because i love food and i love all food lovers who become my friends and my sifu...thank you all for sharing lovely recipes and i shared them with other people who loves simplicity and challenge in their kitchens!

let's keep on sharing, friends and keep the heat on the ovens and stove flaming!!!

tuna and cheese quiche

2008-05-27T21:02:00.002+08:00

a lovely dish adapted from Greatest Ever Potato book...serves with fresh green salad...

2 3/4 cup diced potoatoes

2 tbsp butter

6 tbsp flour

filling:

1 tbsp olive oil

1 shallot, chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 red bellpepper, seeded and diced

1 can tuna in water, drained

1 celery stick, chopped

1 tomato, chopped

2/3 cup milk

3 eggs, beaten

1 tbsp dried mixed herbs

1/2 cup grated cheddar chees (i used sliced cheddar cheese)

salt and pepper

cook the potaotes in a pan of boiling water for 10 min or until tender

drain and mash the potatoes. add butter and flour and mix to form dough.(alternatively you can put everything into a food processor and process, but it won't become a dough consistency)

knead the dough and press into a baking dish. prick with fork and bake in a preheated oven at 200 degrees for 20 min

meanwhile, heat oil in skillet, cook the shallot, garlic, bellpepper, celery and adding the tomaotes last. cook for 5 min. sppon the mixture into the flan shell. flake the tuna and arrange it on top of the vegetables filling

in a bowl, mix the eggs, milk and herbs and season. pour the egg mixture into the flan shell and sprinkle the cheese on top

bake in the oven for 20 min or until the filling has set

chicken lasagne

2008-05-27T19:25:00.003+08:00

a simplified version of lasagne...i used the readymade spaghetti sauce to make the chicken mixture...very creamy and tastes so italianies!...

2 tbsp olive oil

500g minced chicken

1/2 jar of readymade spaghetti sauce (i used Tesco's product)

12 sheets no-precook lasagne sheets

salt and blackpepper to taste

cheese sauce:

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup plain flour

2 1/2 cup milk

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

heat oil in pan, brown the minced chicken over high heat, stirring constantly.

add the readymade spaghetti sauce. bring to boil, cover and simmer for 30 min

make the cheese sauce. melt the butter in a saucepan over a low heat, stir in the flour and cook for 1 min, stirring constantly. gradually add the milk, stirring constantly until the mixture boils and thickens. stir in 3/4 of the grated cheese until it melts, season to taste

preheat oven to 190 degrees. make layers of chicken mixture, lasgne and cheese sauce in an ovenproof dish, starting and finishing with a layer of chicken mixture

pour the remaining cheese sauce evenly on top. sprinkle with the remaining cheese and bake for 1 hour or until bubbling and lightly browned on top

madeira cake

2008-05-27T19:00:00.003+08:00

a lovely, moist and soft lemony taste cake...i like the texture...very easy to make...from a recipe book of my friend, Teh...

180g butter, softened

3/4 cup castor sugar

3 eggs, beaten

1 1/3 cup self-raising flour

2 tsp grated lemon rind

1 tsp lemon juice

2 tsp castor sugar for sprinkling

prehat oven 160 degrees

grease and flour a pan (18cm)

beat butter and suggar until pale

add eggs, one at a time, gradually beating well after each addition

fold in flour, lemon rind and lemon juice

sprinkle extra sugar over top (i omit this)

bake for 1 hour or until done

moist chocolate cake - a wedding gift

2008-05-26T15:28:00.002+08:00

i made this as a wedding gift to a family member....

seafood pasta olio e aglio

2008-05-26T15:02:00.003+08:00

also from the same book, 500 greatest-ever pasta recipes, but i came out with my own version...

1/2 cup olive oil

2 cloves garlic, crushed

450g spaghetti/pasta, prepared according to the instruction and drain (i used elbow macaroni)

2 tbsp fresh parsley (i used mixed dried herbs)

salt and blackpepper

cod fillet ]

prawns fillet ] blanched in hot water

squid ]

heat olive oil in a medium pan and add the garlic and a pinch of salt. cook over low heat, stirring constantly. do not allow the garlic to become too brown or it will taste bitter

add the blacnhed seafood to the oil

put the drained pasta in a clean pan. add the warm garlic and oil with plenty of blackpepper and herbs. toss to coat

serve immediately

baked pasta- updated!

2008-05-26T15:00:00.000+08:00

lovely pasta from my 500 pastas recipes book....will write the recipe later....

ok, here's the recipe,folks...sorry for the delay!...

1tbsp olive oil
350g mince meat/chicken
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic, chopped
1 can chopped tomatoes ( i used 4 ripe tomatoes, chopped)
1 tbsp dried mixed herbs
2 tbsp tomato puree
350g pasta prepared according to the packets instruction and drain

cheese sauce:
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup plain flour
1 3/4 cup milk
2 eggs yolk
2/3 cup grated parmesan
salt and blackpepper
heat olive oil in pan, add minced meat, fry over moderate heat, stirring
occasionally, for about 10 min until browned
add onion and cook for 5 min, stirring occasionally
stir in the garlic, tomatoes, herbs and tomato puree. bring to boil, cover
and simmer for 30 min
meanwhile make the cheese sauce. melt the butter in a small pan, stir in
flour and cook for 1-2 min, stirring constantly. gradually add the milk,
stirring constantly until sauce boils and thickens. whisk in the egg yolks and
cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste
toss the pasta with the meat sauce
preheat grill. pour the pasta into baking dish, spoon the cheese sauce on
top and place under grill until well browned. serve immediately

spicy chicken in red gravy

2008-05-23T16:09:00.002+08:00

also from mamafami and sis rossya...i love the taste and smell....

1 chicken ~ cut to small pieces and half fry

3 onions ~ cut into rings

3 cloves

4 cardamons

3 cm cinnamon sticks

200 g tomato puree

4 tomatoes ~ cut into 6 portion

green peas

crispy fried shallots

2 lemon grass ~ bruised

3 cm galanggal ~ bruised

2 bunches corriander leaves ~ snipped

salt and sugar to taste

To grind :

10 dried chillies

4 cloves garlic

3 cm ginger

2 tablespoon corriander seeds

1 tablespoon fennel

Method :

1. Heat oil. Saute onion, cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamons, lemon grass, galanggal and grounded ingredients till fragrant.

2. Add in 1 cup of water, half fried chicken, tomato puree, salt and sugar. Cook till thickens.

3. Add in the cut tomatoes, green peas, crispy fried onion and corriander leaves.

4. Cover the pot and remove from heat.

Harissa Rice

2008-05-23T16:00:00.003+08:00

i'm entertaining some friends today, so i tried out this recipe from Mamafami and Sis Rossya...i also made spicy chicken in red gravy...turned out lovely and delicious...a great combination...!

1 kg Basmathi rice

Enough water

To grind/blend :

1 teaspoon cumin

3 cm ginger

10 cloves garlic

3 onions ~ sliced

500 g carrot ~ roughly grated

3 bunches corriander ~ clean the roots and grind with 5 green chillies

2 cinnamon sticks

6 cloves

10 cardamons

salt to taste

crispy fried shallots

raisins

oil or margarine to cook

Method :

1. Wash the rice. Mix with grated carrots and put through a collander till all the water had drained out.

2. Heat oil/margarine on low heat. Fry onion till soft.

3. Add in blended ingredients, cinnamon stick, cloves and cardamons. Add in the grounded chillies and corriander roots. Fry till fragrant.

4. Add in enough water and salt.

5. When boiling, put in the rice mixed with carrots and leave to cook.

6. Garnish with coriander leaves, fried shallots and raisins

full cake decorating intensive course

2008-05-22T15:22:00.006+08:00

i attended a 2-days full cake decorating intensive course with my dear sis/sifu, kak Ayuliana...it was 1 year ago, i joined the basic cupcakes and cookies decorating with her...i am touched with ther good hospitality and kindness and her utmost patience in guiding and teaching me on various methods and techniques of decorating 8 cakes in 2 days!!!! it was a superb and valuable 2 days experience with her....! i also made friend with kak Rozi who attended the same class too...

look at the cakes i decorated!! i am really impress and satisfied with my efforts! hehehe....

and Jihan loves them all!!!

vadai

2008-05-20T20:44:00.002+08:00

my favourite Indian delicacies!!! thanx to kak rinn for the superb and easy recipe...!!! tastes delicious!!

250g dhal

2 dried chillies, finely sliced

2 stalks cyrru leaves, finely sliced

1/2 onion, chopped

1 tsp fennel seed

1/2 tsp salt

oil

soak the dhal for 4 hours

toss dry

blend the dhal till fine

mix all other ingredients together with the dhal

shape the vadai, using your hand and a plastic brushed with a bit of oil

put the vadai on a greased pan

deep fry on a medium fire till golden brown

fresh banana cake with chocolate rice

2008-05-20T20:35:00.003+08:00

from mamazieza's fotopages...i really like the texture...moist and fluffy...tastes yummyyyyy!!!

250 gm butter

190 gm sugar/brown sugar

1 tspfull ovalette

4 eggs - medium

1 tsp vanilla

275 gm flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp bicarbonate soda

250 gm mashed banana

100 gm chocolate rice

beat the butter and sugar until white and fluffy

add one egg at a time together with the ovalette, beating well after each addition

add the bananas.

add in flour which has been sifted with the rising agent.

add the chocolate rice, mix it lightly

bake in a preheated oven 180 degrees for 45 min or till done

chocolate rice orange muffins

2008-05-20T20:21:00.003+08:00

moist and lovely....from kak liza's fotopages...

ingredients A

2 cups flour ]

1 tsp baking powder ] sifted twice

1/2 tsp soda bicarbonate ]

1 cup brown sugar

2 tbsp chocolate rice

chocolate chips for sprinkle (optional)

ingredients B

1/2 cup butter melted

1 cup orange juice

1 egg lightly beaten

1 tsp orange emulco

preheat oven 180 degrees for 15 min

mix all ingredients in A

pour in B into A, mix well

fill in the muffin cups 3/4 full. sprinkle with extra chocolate chips if you wish

bake for 20 min or till done

rich butter cake

2008-05-20T10:31:00.002+08:00

easy butter cake from a recipe book belongs to my friend, Teh....very moist and rich and yummy too!!!

250g butter, softened

1 cup castor sugar

4 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cup self raising flour ] sifted

1/2 cup plain flour ]

3/4 cup milk

preheat oven 180 degrees. grease a 20cm baking pan and line with paper

beat butter and sugar till light and fluffy

add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition

add in vanilla, beat till combined

fold in sifted flour alternate with milk

bake for 1 hour or until done

Donuts Ala J.Co

2008-05-20T10:10:00.004+08:00

it's Malaysians new craze nowadays!!!...whether it's Big Apple or J Co, both kiosks have long queues of customers to get their supplies of donuts....

i tried this recipe from my sifu - ayuliana and kak rinn....the texture is sooooo goooood!!!!

ingredients A :

850gm high protein flour

11g instant yeast (1 packet)

10g salt

600ml warm water

ingredients B :

200g high protein flour

10g salt

60g milk powder

125g castor sugar

2 eggs

125g shortening

mix well ingredients A until it becomes dough. let rest in a container covered with plastic for 90 min

punch the dough

mix ingredients B into dough A. mix well until it becomes dough again. let rest in a container covered with plastic for 15 min

punch the dough

roll the dough about 1 cm thick. using the donut cutter, cut the dough add let rest for 10 min on a lightly floured pan.

deep fry the donuts with medium fire until it turns golden brown

toss dry and sprinkle with castor sugar or any toppings of your choice

honey muffins

2008-05-16T18:56:00.003+08:00

tried out this recipe from the NST... nice and lovely...

2 cups flour

1/4 cup sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 eggs

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup orange juice

1/3 cup butter, melted

1 tsp vanilla

combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt, set aside
in a mixing bowl, beat eggs. add honey, orange juice, butter and vanilla. mix well
stir into dry ingredients until batter is formed
fill muffin cups
bake at 180 degrees for 15-20 min

dried squid sambal with peanut

2008-05-15T17:59:00.003+08:00

adapted from Kak Jun's recipe..i bought the dried squid in Lumut recently....smells good and tastes delicious!

dried squid, soaked in water

4 tbsp chilli paste

1 onion ]

2 garlic ] blended

1 inch ginger ]

1 lemongrass, lightly pounded

1 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp brown sugar

1 tbsp soy sauce

tamarind juice

salt

2 tbsp grounded peanut

1 onion, sliced

kaffir leaves, sliced

heat oil in wok, fry the blended ingredients and chilli paste till fragrant

add in lemongrass, tamarind juice and dried squid, cook until the squid soften

add in the onion rings

season with salt, sugar and soy sauce

add in the grounded peanut and kaffir leaves. mix well

remove freom heat

special tuna and cheese sandwiches

2008-05-13T22:15:00.005+08:00

i bought a bottle of mixed pickle from Tesco today....i made it into lovely creamy, tasty tuna and cheese sandwiches! this is my dinner today...

wholemeal bread

lettuce

alfafa sprout

tomatoes, sliced

tuna in water chunks

feta cheese, crumbled

mixed pickle

Italian salad dressing

spread some pickle on the bread

mix the tuna, feta cheese and a dash of Italian salad dressing

spread the tuna mixture in top of the prepared bread

top with tomatoes, lettuce and alfafa sprout

cover the top with another bread slice